A Florida lawyer accused of stealing close to half a million dollars from his family’s trust fund has now been charged with the murder of a man believed to be his father, Paul Labiner.
Brandon Labiner, 34, recently suspended from practicing law over allegations of misconduct, was entangled in an intense legal battle with his father. According to court documents, the father and son each accused the other of stealing close to $500,000 from a family trust fund.
Boca Raton Police responded to a 911 call on July 1 reporting gunshots in the parking garage near the father’s law office. Surveillance footage described in the police affidavit identified a man, later confirmed as Brandon, arriving at the parking lot on a maroon bicycle. Footage shows the man handling a firearm before concealing it from camera view. An altercation with another man ensued, followed by gunshots.
The victim, a 68-year-old white male, was found in a “large pool of blood” with four gunshot wounds to the head, chest, and lower body. Official reports may not include the victim’s name after the family invoked its right to privacy under Marsy’s Law. The law limits disclosure of a victim’s identity but public records matched the victim’s occupation and date of birth with that of Paul Labiner. Brandon allegedly paced back and forth in the garage for almost an hour before the victim arrived.
Court documents describe a strained professional relationship between the Labiners. The father ousted his son’s “poor work ethic” and “subpar performance” as reasons for their shared law firm losing clients. Allegations also described Brandon as acting erratically and providing misleading information about client interactions, including falling victim to a scam orchestrated by a new client. Brandon also struggled with his personal life — dealing with significant stressors including a divorce and stillborn child.
The Florida Supreme Court suspended Brandon’s law license in April due to a DUI arrest and his father’s accusations but on June 30, one day prior to the shooting, Brandon filed to surrender his law license voluntarily.
A 9mm firearm and boxes of ammo matching the casings left at the crime scene were found in Brandon’s possession. Prosecutors charged Brandon with premeditated first-degree murder and he remains in jail without bond.
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